For many people, it just isn’t smart to quit a steady-paying job at a growing company that offers the potential for career advancement. And I get that. Sometimes I freak out just thinking about what I’ve done and can’t believe I’ve actually done it. But once the panic attack has subsided, I focus on the bigger picture and know in my heart that I’m doing the right thing. Although it may not be the right thing for everyone, it’s the right thing for me.

I believe that extensive travel will benefit, not hurt, my career, because it will make me a better person. By traveling alone, I will become more self-reliant and confident in who I am. As I experience different cultures, I will become more tolerant, open-minded and accepting of those around me. Traveling will push me beyond my own preconceived limits and will eventually break me, but I will learn to recover quickly and how to persevere.

Traveling will challenge me to adapt to local customs and languages. It will hone my communication skills and test my organization, efficiency and attention to detail. I will develop far better navigating and map-reading capabilities. Physically, it will test my endurance and stamina. Mentally, it will stretch my ingenuity.

The things I hope to learn while traveling can only be taught on the road between somewhere and nowhere. It’s not available in books or through browsing online. That will only give you a cursory glimpse of what is in store. For the full effect, I think you need to get out there and live it. It’s the only way.

Soon I will step into this new world of full-time travel, and I look forward to the challenges and triumphs that lay ahead. Whether it be good or bad, thrilling or frightening, the road ahead is a level playing field for everyone who embarks on their first adventure. I can’t wait for mine to begin.